Grinding wheel-speed control



June 23 1953 c. G. FLYGARE :TAL 2,642,703

" l GRINDI'NG WHEEL-SPEED CONTROL ZE TRAVEL CAR/ G.'FLYGARE CHARLES C., ALVURD HG.. 2 `15y Mmmn Home,

Patented June 23, 1953 Carl G. Flygare and Charles C. Alvord, Worcester, y Mass.,y assignors to Norton Company, Worcester',r Mass.; a corporation of ,Massachusetts`4 Application August 1s, 195i, serial No. 242,443

The invention relates to grinding machines, and more particularly to a speed control. device for maintaining a uniform peripheral speed, of the grinding wheel.

One object of the invention is to provide asim-y ple and 4thoroughly practical speedl control mechanisniA automatically to maintain a uniform peripheral speed of the grinding wheel. Another object is to provide a cam-controlledrheostat automatically to vary the speed ofthewheel drive ing motor so as to maintain a constant peripheralspeed of the grinding wheel asy it wears away.

Another object is to Vprovide a closed cam which yL is shaped so as to facilitate normalmovement of the grinding wheel to and froman operative ,K

position without a change of wheell speed. Another object is to provide adjustably mounted cam which may be positioned for grinding work pieces of different diameters. Another object is to provide a cam which' isy shaped soas to return the rheostat to its initial position automatically .to slow-down the speed of the spindle driving motor when the wheel slide is moved to an extreme rearward position whena new grinding wheel is to be mounted on the spindle. I f

A further object is to provide a safetydevice to prevent opening the wheel guard for changing grinding wheels except when the Wheellslide isin an extreme rearward or inoperative position.`

Another object of the invention is to provide a graduated scale to facilitate positioning the con'- trol cam for grindingwork pieces 'of given diam-f 8 Claims'.y (Cl. 51-"134.5)

6-46 ofv 1, showing the safety ydevice for pre-y venting opening thewheel guard except when the Wheel,`v slide is= in an extreme rearward or inoperative position; and

Fig. 7 is a simpliedelectrical diagram. y A grinding'machine has been illustrated in the ldrawings comprising la base; I0 which is provided with a rotatable Worksupport (notshown) for. supporting a cylindrical piece of work II. This work support may be identical with Ithat shown in the prim` United states .Patent No.` 2,522,485

eters. Other objects will 'be in part obvious or in n part pointed out hereinafter. l

In the accompanying drawings in which ris shown one of various possible embodiments of the mechanical featureslof this invention, n

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a 'portion of a grinding machine embodying the invention; ,Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary` elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing they cam and associated parts for controlling and actuating the rheostat` for regulating the speed of the grinding wheel driving motor; y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximatelyon the line 3-3 of Fig. l, through the mechanism for controlling and actuating the rheostat;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View,

on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line lle-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view, on anV enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line to H. A. Silvenand C. G. Flygare datedSeptem-fv l ber k12, 1950, to which referencefx'nay be hadfr details of disclosure notcontained herein. I The base Ill serves asa lsupportrfor a trans# verselyy movablewheel slide l 2` which is arranged to slide transversely onaflat way I 3 and a V-way l (not shown) formed on the upper surface ofKjthe..

base I0. A grindingwheel) spindleV I4 is jour.

.'nalled in sutablebearings (not shown) formed'.

within the wheel'slide I2.. The Wheel spindle ,Hly

servesl as a support for a `grinding wheel I5.

A suitable driving mechanism is provided for the vspindle i4 and grinding wheel I5 comprisingv a variable Y.speed electric motor4 I6 which isv mounted on a motor base Il adjustably positioned on top of the Ywheel slide I2. An adjusting screw I8 is provided for adjusting'the position ofr the motor base I7 and the motor I6 to facilitate tensioning the driving belts to be hereinafter de,-l scribed. yThemotor I6 is provided with an armar-pL ture shaft I9 which supports a multiple V-groove pulley 20. AThe V-groove pulley `20 is connected bymultipleV-belts 2l with a multiplevV-groove pulley 22 mounted on the end of the wheel spindle;

Il. As shown yin the drawings `the pulleys'20 andv 22 are of an equaldiameter so as to provldea one to one ratio between the armature shaft I9 and the'wheel spindle I4. y l Ay wheel guard 25 surrounds the grinding wheel,v I5 and is xedly mounted on the sideface ofthe wheel slide I2. In lorder tov facilitate changing grinding wheels I5, the wheel guard 25 is pro-v vided with a rhinged cover 26 whichv` is arranged.

to swing `on a hinge stud 2'!A (-Fig.- 6). A pair of;

open position except when the wheel slide is in a rearward or inoperative position.

A suitable grinding wheel feeding mechanism is provided for feeding the wheel slide I2 transversely in either direction. This mechanism may comprise a rotatable feed screw 3 I, rotatably supported by the base I0, which meshes with orV engages a half nut 32 depending from the underside of the wheel slide I2. 'I he mechanism for rotating the feed screw 3I for a grinding feed and for moving the feed screw 3I axially for moving the wheel slide I2 to and from an operative position may be identical with that disclosed in the prior United States Patent No. 2,522,485, above referred to, to which reference maybe had for details of disclosure not contained herein. The axial positioning movement of the feed screw 3| may be approximately two and one half inches.

It is desirable to provide an adjustable speed control mechanism for controlling and regulating the speed of the motor I6 so as to facilitate an automatic adjustment thereof to vary the speed of the motor automatically as the wheel wears away so as to maintain a substantially constant peripheral speed of the wheel during its entire active use. This mechanism may comprise a rheostat 34 having a rotatable rheostat shaft 36. The rheostat 34 is contained within a box-like housing 35 which is xedly mounted on the rear of the wheel slide I2. 'I'he rheostat shaft 36 is provided with a gear 31 which meshes with a vertically arranged slidably-mounted rack bar 38. A bracket 39 is supported by the rheostat shaft 36 and is held in a vertical position by means of a U-shaped clip 46 which is flxedly mounted relative to the wheel slide I2. The bracket 35 is provided with a pair of spaced bearings 4I and 42 within which the rack bar 38 may slide. A friction plunger 43 is carried by the bracket 36. The plunger 43 is backed up by a compression spring 44. An adjusting screw 45 is provided to facilitate adjustment of the compression of the spring 44. The lower end of the rack bar 38 is provided with a rotatable follower roller'` 46. The mechanism just described is enclosed by a cover or housing 41 which is fastenedby a pair of spaced screws 48 and 49 to the vertically arranged bracket 39.

A suitable mechanism is provided automatically to move the follower roller 46 so as to actuate the rheostat 34 to vmaintain a -uniform peripheral speed of the grinding wheel as it wears away due to grinding or'truing'. As illustrated in the drawings a bracket 55 (Figs. 2 and 3) is fastened to the base I of the machine by a pair of spaced screws 58 and 61. The bracket 55 serves as a support for an adjustably mounted cam plate 58. A pair of spaced clamping screws 59 and 60 pass through elongated slots 6I and 462 respectively and are screw threaded into the bracket 55. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that by loosening the screws 53 and 66, the cam plate 56 may be adjusted longitudinally relative to the bracket 55 as desired. The bracket 55 is provided with a scale 63 graduated in incheswork diameter. The cam plate 58 is provided with an index mark 64 which as illustrated in Fig. 2 is set in position for grinding work pieces of five inches diameter. If work pieces of other diameters from zero to ten inches are to be ground, it is necessary to adjust the cam plate 58 longitudinally to position the index mark 64 opposite the desired graduation on the scale 63 corresponding to the diameter of the work piece to be ground.

As shown in the drawings the cam plate 58 is designed for controlling the speed of a thirty inch diameter grinding wheel and to maintain a substantially uniform peripheral speed of 6500 surface feet per minute until the grinding wheel has been worn away due to grinding and truing to a 15 inch diameter. The cam plate 58 is provided withA a cam portion 10 which is arranged to control the movement of the follower roller 46 so as to automatically actuate the rheostat 34 and increase the speed of the wheel as the diameter thereof is reduced in size. The shape of the cam 10 is such that the wheel slide may be moved to and from an operative position through a distance of two and one-half inches maximum travel without affecting the position of the rheostat 34. With a 30 inch diameter wheel positioned on the wheel spindle I4, the axis of the follower roller 46 is on the base line as indicated in Fig. 2. The wheel I5 is shown in a forward grinding position. After the grinding has been completed, the wheel slide I2 may be retracted and the follower roller 46 rides idly through a horizontal portion 10a of the cam 10 so that no motion is imparted to the rheostat shaft 36. As the grinding wheel wears away due to truing or grinding, the wheel slide I2 must be advanced through a greater distance toward the left (Fig. l) to grind the work piece to the required and predetermined size. 'As the wheel slide I2 moves further toward the left. the follower roller 46 rides up the curved face of the cam 1I). During this movement the upward movement of the follower roller 46 imparts a rotary motion to the rheostat shaft 36 through the rack bar 38 and the gear 31 to adjust the rheostat so as to increase the speed of the motor sufficiently to maintain a uniform peripheral speed of I6500 S. F. P. M. As the forward advance of the slide I2 continues due to reduced diameter of the grindingwheel, the axis of the follower roller 46 successively reaches positions O, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B and A at which point the grinding wheel has been reduced in diameter to 15 inches. A chart is illustrated below showing for each of the positions A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M,r N, O the height of the axis of the roller 46 above the base line for each one inch variation in the wheel diameter together with the R. P. M. of the armature shaft I9 of the motor I6 to maintain a constant surface speed of 6500 S. F. P. M.

Height Line Abo", ggd R. P. M

Base Line 2% l5 1,655 10%4 16 1,552 C... 17%2 17 1,462 D li 18 1,380 E... l/e 19 1,308 F. its, 2o 1, 242 G 35(32 2l 1,182 H. 1%@ 22 lI 130 I.. Me 23 1, 080 J.. Y. 9u 24 1,035 K- 2%.; :2:3 993 L. 1552 26 955 M. M 27 920 N- 1.5564 23 88B 0.,.. 61. 29 ssc Base 0 30 827 Chart based on constant 6,500 S. F. P. M.

.In each one of the positions A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O the follower roller 46 may move through a maximum distance of two and one-half inches during the movement of the wheel slide I2 to an inoperative position before the follower` roller 46 engages the opposite face amarres 5. b of the cam'l. If the wheel slide I2 for .any reason is moved through a greater distance ythan two and one-half inches, the follower roller I6- engaging the cam face 10b will cause arotary motion to be imparted to the rheostat shaft 3G- to decrease the speed of the motor I5.

The operation of this improved speed control ing operation may then be Started With afull" size 30 inch diameter wheel. After each Work piece has been ground, the wheel slide I2 may be backed off through the required distance, not to exceed two and-one-half inches. .As the 'grinding operation proceeds and the wheel wears away, the increased forward movement of the wheel slide I2 causes an upward movement of the follower roller i5 which imparts a rotary motion to the rheostat shaft 35 to advance the speed of the motor I6 sufficiently to maintain a substantially constant peripheral speed of 6500 S. F. P. M. This increase of speed continues from an initial motor speed of 827 R. P. M. with a 30 inch diameter wheel until the speed has reached 1655 R. P. lVl. when the grinding wheel has been worn and means including 'a Acam. onsaidlbase and a follower "o'nsaid slide v operatively connected to actuate*said*rheostatf'inltimed relation with the transverse movementE of the slide to maintain a constant peripheral speed of the grinding wheel as itwearsaway. f

2.5In Y'agrimzlin'g machine having `a base, a transversely `movable slide thereon, feeding means operatively 'connectedfte feed said slide transversely-in either direction relative to the `base, ya rotatable grinding wheel spindle onsaid slide, a grinding wheelthereon, 4means including an electricfmotor yonsaid Vslide lto rotate said Spindle, a `speed control devicefincluding an adjustable rheostat Vori-"said slide to vary vthe speed of said mcton'mean's includinga cam on said base, and

v a'followerfonisaid'slide operatively connected to away due to wheel wear and truing to a 15 inch f diameter wheel. When the wheel reaches a 15 inch diameter, it is necessary to replace the same with a full size wheel. This is accomplished by moving the wheel slide I2 to an extreme rearward position so that the hinged cover 25 of the wheel guard 25 may be swung in a clockwise direction (Fig. 6) and the cover will clear the end of the safety bracket 30. During this rearward movement of the wheel slide I2 to an inoperative position, the roller rides down the face 10b of the cam 'It which serves to cause a downward movement of the roller 46 thereby causing a counterclockwise rotation of the rheostat shaft 36 to reduce the rotary speed of the motor I6 from 1655 R. P. M. to 327 R. .P. M. The new wheel may then be mounted in position on the spindle after which the cover 25 may be again swung into an operative position and fastened therein by means of the screws 28 and 29 after which the grinding operation may again be resumed.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the actuate said rheostat in timed relationship with the transverse movement of theislide to maintain a constantperi-pheral-speedof the grinding wheel as :it wears away.y

3. In a grinding machine having a base, a transversely movable wheel slide thereon,feeding means operatively connected to feed said slide transversely in either direction relative to the base, a rotatable grinding wheel spindle on said slide, a grinding wheel thereon, an electric motor on said slide for rotating said spindle, a speed v control device including an adjustable rheostat on said slide to vary the speed of said motor, means including a cam on said base and a follower on said slide interposed between the wheel slide and base, operative connections between the follower and rheostat to actuate said rheostat in timed relationship with the transverse movement to facilitate adjusting the position of said cam for accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as any given diameter work piece.

4. In a grinding .machine having a base, a. transversely movable slide thereon, feeding means operatively connected to feed said slide transversely in either direction relative tothe base, a rotatable grinding wheel on said slide, a grinding wheel thereon, an electric motor on said slide for rotating said spindle, a speed control device including a rheostat on said slide operatively connected to vary the speed of said motor, means including a cam on said base and a follower on said slide operatively connected to actuate said rheostat in timed relation with the transverse f movement of the slide so as to maintain a constant peripheral speed of the grinding wheel, said cam being shaped so as to facilitate a normal transverse movement of the slide to and from an operative position without changing the speed of said motor.

5. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim l, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a vertically slidable member on said slide, a rack bar formed integrally therewith, said rheostat having a rotatable actuating shaft, a gear on said shaft meshing with said rack for actuating said rheostat, a rotatable follower roller on said member, and anadjustably mounted cam on said base engageable with the follower roller to vary the speed of said motor so as to maintain a constant peripheral speed of the grinding wheel.

6. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a cam adjustably mounted on said base, a follower on said slide engageable with saidpcam and actuated thereby for actuating said aeia'rossI rheostat automatically to vary the speed of said motor so as to maintain a constant peripheral speed of the grinding Wheel, an index mark on said cam, and a graduated scale on said base calibrated in inches-work diameter to facilitate adjusting the position of said cam relative to said base for any given diameter of Work piece.

7. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a wheel guard partially surrounding said grinding wheel, a removable cover on said guard to facilitate replacement of the grinding Wheel, and means including a lug on said base normally engageable with said cover to prevent opening said cover except when the wheel slide is in a rearward inoperative position with the rheostat positioned for rotating the grinding Wheel spindle at a minimum speed.

8. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim l, in combination with the parts andfeatures therein specified of a Wheel guard partially surrounding said grinding Wheel, a hinged cover therefor to facilitate replacement of said grinding wheel. said cam being shaped to facilitate movement of the wheel slide to a rearward inoperative position and to position said rheostat so as to rotate the wheel spindle at a minimum speed, and means including a lug on said base normally in the path of movement of said cover to prevent opening said cover when the grinding Wheel slide is in a rearward inoperative position.

CARL G. FLYGARE. CHARLES C. ALVORD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,056,871 Silven Oct. 6, 1936 2,080,145 Maurer May 11, 1937 2,162,038 Trible June 13, 1939 2,294,153 Alvord Aug, 25, 1942 

